Magic
Magic is, to be perfectly accurate, not part of everyday life in Calandia, but it is a signficant part of the fabric of reality. Only a very small percentage of the population are gifted with an affinity for magic, and of these, not many are sufficiently taught and trained to make effective use of their talents. Because of their relative scarcity, mages, enchanters and the like are generally either held in high esteem - sometimes bordering on awe - or in suspicion - sometimes bordering on contempt. The sources of magical power that are drawn from vary, from direct gift of the gods, to communing with spirits, to manipulating the elements of the universe. The Ordo Arcanis ex Civitatum has been established at the Hall of Learning at Spyre. This body directs magical study and training of mages. Those accepted into the Order are referred to as Magisters and are treated with great respect within the bounds of the City-State. According to the curriculum of the Arcane Order, the following areas of mastery exist. It should be noted that within each broad area, there is a wide range of specializations. A mage will not have equal aptitude across all specializations within an area. As each area is mastered, a mage is permitted to weave the coloured thread associated with that area into his or her ceremonial cloak - which is of pure white wool. It is said that only one man, Crandel Deimos na'Urici - Chancellor of the Hall of Learning at Spyre and Praudhar of the Ordo has mastered all areas of magic. * Alchemy (green thread): the manipulation of the natural properties of plants, minerals, and the like to achieve new effects - such as the creation of potions, enhancing the strength and rigidity of a metal, or the creation of objects possessed of magical power. * Binding & Dominating (black thread): exerting the will of the mage over another sentient being, whether person, animal or spirit. Effects might include, sending a person or animal to sleep, love spells, forcing a summoned spirit to do your bidding. * Changing (grey thread): the ability to alter your own (or others') physical attributes - especially associated with shapeshifters. * Communing (light blue thread): the ability to speak with and understand other beings, spirits, and even plants, stone and the like. * Creations (yellow thread): creating or materializing from nothing an object or substance. * Elements (red thread): shaping and directing aspects of the elements of reality: fire, earth, air, water, sound and light. * Enchantment (violet thread): enhancing an object, person or beast with an attribute. Generally (though not always) temporary in nature, enchantments can be beneficial or harmful. Examples might include - making a person appear powerfully beautiful or ugly, enhancing the edge of a blade, causing a person to have the ability to fly. * Healings & Harms (orange thread): magic related to curses, blessings, and healing. * Illusions (brown thread): creation of illusory effects, whether visual, aural, olfactory, tactile or pertaining to taste. * Manipulations (gold thread): basically moving stuff about without touching it. * Necromancy (no thread): a form of magic that deals with the dead and spirits of the dead. It can include communing with departed spirits, creating undead servants, giving oneself a form of undead immortality, and even raising the dead. This form of magic is absolutely proscribed in Calandia, and anyone even suspected of being a necromancer is likely to be killed under either official or mob justice. * Portals (silver thread): using gates and shifts to move without crossing physical shifts. A skilled practitioner might be able to pass through a barred door, a move between designated points. * Scrying & Seeing (copper thread): the ability to view or otherwise sense objects and occurrences beyond the normal range of the mage's senses, including the future, or past, or things seen from the perspective of another. * Summoning (navy blue): the ability to call forth spirits, demons, faeries and the like from their demesnes.